Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants
University of Manitoba
$51,230.00
Development of seed openers using modeling and experimental approaches
FY 2014-15
Summary
Agriculture in Canada and many countries of the world involves large-scale agricultural machines. Among those machines, seeders have evolved from small planters to large airseeders, which has significantly increased the field efficiency (acres per hour). In pursuit for economies of scales, today's cereal and oilseed farms have grown from hundreds of acres to many thousands of acres. Meanwhile, farmers have to complete seeding operation in the same weather window as before. This requires airseeders to travel at high speeds (over 8 km/h). However, higher travel speeds cause higher soil disturbance, which adversely affects the seeding performance and consequently crop emergence and growth. The proposed project is about development of a low soil disturbance and high efficiency airseeder for Buhler Versatile Inc. (Versatile), a large agricultural equipment manufacturer. Since 2011, development of a new airseeder product line has become the company's priority, and for this purpose, the company has sought the help of University of Manitoba (UM) within the scope of a NSERC Engage project. Versatile has committed to continuing this partnership via the proposed NSERC CRD project, in addition to teaming up with Atom-Jet Group, another large agricultural equipment manufacturer specializing in aftermarket seed openers. In the proposed project, new airseeders, the ML930/950 airseeders of Versatile will be developed with the focus on seed openers (the key elements of an airseeder). Prototype openers will be designed, fabricated, and tested with the joined efforts of UM, Versatile, and Atom Jet. The design of seed openers will be guided by simulations of soil dynamic behaviours using a new and innovative numerical method: the Discrete Element Method (DEM). A post-doctoral fellow with experienced with DEM and a graduate student, and a company's engineers in training (EIT) will be trained at UM and the two companies. Engineers and researchers from the two companies will participate in all project activities.
Program
Collaborative Research and Development Grants
Recipient
Location
Manitoba, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
436435-2012
Name nom
Chen, Ying
Department département
Biosystems Engineering
Organization id
19
Institution établissement
University of Manitoba
Province en
Manitoba
Province fr
Manitoba
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2014
Competition year année de concours
2012
Award amount
51230
Program id
CRDPJ
Program name en
Collaborative Research and Development Grants
Program name fr
Subventions de recherche et développement coopérative
Group en
Research partnerships programs
Group fr
Programmes de partenariat
Committee code
96
Committee name en
RPP Internal Decision Cttee
Committee name fr
Cté de décision interne - PPR
Area of application code
1206
Area of application group en
Advancement of knowledge
Area of application group fr
Avancement des connaissances
Area of application en
Engineering
Area of application fr
Génie
Research subject code
1203
Research subject group en
Agricultural engineering
Research subject group fr
Génie rural
Research subject en
Agricultural power and machinery
Research subject fr
Énergie et machinerie agricoles
Partie
3
Nb partie
3
Application title
Development of seed openers using modeling and experimental approaches
Keyword
NSERC
Application summary
Agriculture in Canada and many countries of the world involves large-scale agricultural machines. Among those machines, seeders have evolved from small planters to large airseeders, which has significantly increased the field efficiency (acres per hour). In pursuit for economies of scales, today's cereal and oilseed farms have grown from hundreds of acres to many thousands of acres. Meanwhile, farmers have to complete seeding operation in the same weather window as before. This requires airseeders to travel at high speeds (over 8 km/h). However, higher travel speeds cause higher soil disturbance, which adversely affects the seeding performance and consequently crop emergence and growth. The proposed project is about development of a low soil disturbance and high efficiency airseeder for Buhler Versatile Inc. (Versatile), a large agricultural equipment manufacturer. Since 2011, development of a new airseeder product line has become the company's priority, and for this purpose, the company has sought the help of University of Manitoba (UM) within the scope of a NSERC Engage project. Versatile has committed to continuing this partnership via the proposed NSERC CRD project, in addition to teaming up with Atom-Jet Group, another large agricultural equipment manufacturer specializing in aftermarket seed openers. In the proposed project, new airseeders, the ML930/950 airseeders of Versatile will be developed with the focus on seed openers (the key elements of an airseeder). Prototype openers will be designed, fabricated, and tested with the joined efforts of UM, Versatile, and Atom Jet. The design of seed openers will be guided by simulations of soil dynamic behaviours using a new and innovative numerical method: the Discrete Element Method (DEM). A post-doctoral fellow with experienced with DEM and a graduate student, and a company's engineers in training (EIT) will be trained at UM and the two companies. Engineers and researchers from the two companies will participate in all project activities.
